Construction toy formed of connectable components

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a construction toy formed of components made of foam material. Each component has a longitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and a longitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of each component. Each member of a first component is adapted to longitudinally slide within and to lockingly engage its corresponding groove of an adjoining second component Each component can also have an end surface, e.g. top or bottom surface with a protrusion thereon and a groove or recess in an opposite end surface so that the first end surface with the protrusion of first component can engagingly lock into the groove of end surface of a second component. In this way, the components can be added to each other not only side by side but also end to end for building toy structures longer as well as wider. The two components can be locked together by snapping the protrusion end of one component into the groove end of another component or can be disengaged from each other by being pulled apart at their respective ends.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a construction toy. Inparticular, the present invention relates to a construction toy formedof components made of foam material where each component has alongitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and alongitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of eachcomponent which is adapted to lockingly engage said groove

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Prior Art

[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,863 relates to set of interlocking pixels andbeams These pixels and beams interlock by sliding along the z-axis.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 2,020,562 discloses a toy block formed ofconnecting parts. None of these references teach or suggest aconstruction toy formed of foam material that can be assembled togetherby components which can be shaped in any geometrical configuration andwhich is suitable for use as a flotation toy in a body of water such asa pool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention provides for construction toy formed ofcomponents made of foam material where each component has alongitudinally extending groove on one side of each component and alongitudinally extending rib-like member on another side of eachcomponent which is adapted to lockingly engage said groove. The rib-likemember of one component can engage the groove of another componenteither by sliding the rib-like member into the groove along theirrespective longitudinal axes or by being snapped together so that therib-like member of one component is lodged within the groove of anothercomponent Correspondingly, the rib-like member of one component can beseparated from the groove of another component either, by sliding therib-like member out of the groove along their respective longitudinalaxes, or by pulling the two components apart from each, other so thatthe rib-like member is pulled out of the groove when the two componentsare interlocked.

[0007] In addition each component can have an end surface, e g. top orbottom surface with a protrusion thereon and a groove or a recess inanother and preferably an opposite end surface so that the first endsurface with the protrusion of first component can engagingly lock intothe groove or recess of the another end surface of a second component.In this way, the components can be added to each other not only side byside but also end to end for building toy structures longer as well aswider. The two components can be locked together by snapping theprotrusion end of one component into the recess end of another componentor can be disengaged from each other by being pulled apart at theirrespective ends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of one ofthe shaped components of the present invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of one ofthe shaped components of the present invention;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of one ofthe shaped components of the present invention

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of one ofthe shaped component of the present invention

[0012]FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating connected components andcomponents that can be connected shaped according to the firstembodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a sectional view illustrating connected components andcomponents that can be connected shaped according to the secondembodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 2;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a sectional view illustrating connected components andcomponents that can be connected shaped according to the thirdembodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3;

[0015]FIG. 8 is a sectional view illustrating connected components andcomponents that can be connected shaped according to the fourthembodiment of the present invention as shown in FIG. 4;

[0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 showingtwo components connected end to end;

[0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 2 showingthe two components connected end to end and also showing side by sideconnections of the components;

[0018]FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 9 showingthe end to end connection of two components; and

[0019]FIG. 12 is a sectional view of FIG. 10 showing four componentsconnected together with end to end and side by side connections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Referring now to the figures, FIGS. 1-4 show four differentembodiments of the present invention. In FIG. 1 a first embodiment isillustrated showing a component 5 of the present invention beingsubstantially square shaped. The component has at least one side with alongitudinally extending groove or recess 7 and a longitudinallyextending rib-like member or tab projection 8 on another side of thecomponent 5. In FIG. 1 there are two grooves on opposite sides of thesquare shaped component and two projecting rib-like members on oppositeremaining sides of the square shaped component. As can be seen in FIG.5, these substantially square shaped components can be joined togetherto form a variety of structures by sliding the rib-like memberslongitudinally along the recess of the component The dashed lines ofFIG. 5 illustrate that more components can be added to increase andchange the size of the structure being built.

[0021] The components are formed of a foam material and thus can be usedto create a flotation device such as a raft for use in a body of watersuch as a pool. The foam material can be a low density polyethyleneproduct which is extruded by a physical agent such as a hydrocarbon gas.

[0022] The connection between the groove and the tab or member of twoadjoining components is an interlocking connection so that the twoadjoined components can be removed only by longitudinally sliding themember or tab out of the groove and or pulling the two components apartfrom each other so that the member is pulled away from and out of thegroove of the adjoining and connected component. The two components arepreferably of substantially the same longitudinal length with respect toeach other.

[0023]FIGS. 2 and 6 show a second embodiment of the present inventionwhere the components are substantially triangularly shaped components.

[0024]FIGS. 3 and 7 show a fourth embodiment of another geometricalconfiguration having both straight and curved portions.

[0025]FIGS. 4 and 8 show a fourth embodiment showing a substantiallycircularly shaped component.

[0026] FIGS. 9-12 describe the end to end connections of the componentsof the present invention alone (see FIGS. 9 and 11) and together withthe side to side connections (see FIGS. 10 and 12)

[0027] As shown in FIG. 9 two components can be connected end to end (8a, 8 b). Each component has two end surfaces, a first end surface 11 anda second end surface 12. First end surface 11 has an extendedprotrusion, member 13. Second end surface 12 has a groove 14 which isconfigured to securely and lockingly engage protrusion 13 of anothercomponent so that components can be connected end to end as seen inFIGS. 9 and 11. Thus component 8 a can be connected to component 8 b inend to end connection by protrusion 11 of component 8 b being insertedinto the groove of 12 of component 8 a (see FIG. 11).

[0028] It is possible to have both end to end connections and side byside connections at the same time as shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 where fourcomponents 8 a, 8 b, 8 c and 8 d are connected with 8 a and 8 b in endto end connection, 8 c and 8 d in end to end connection and 8 a and 8 cin side by side connection and 8 b and 8 d in side by side connection.In this way the toy structure can grow in length and width by addingcomponents on the sides and on the ends.

[0029] It is understood that the present invention is not limited to anyparticular shaped component or configuration for either the end or sideconnections. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, thatalthough the invention has been described in terms of specific examples,modifications and changes may be made to the disclosed embodimentswithout departing from the essence of the invention.

1. A construction toy formed of connectable components, comprising: aplurality of connectable components each one of said connectablecomponents being formed of a foam material and having on at least onesurface of said component an extending member and on at least anothersurface of said component a groove therein where each said member of onecomponent is adapted to lockingly engage within a groove of another oneof said components in order to join said components together.
 2. The toyaccording to claim 1 wherein said one surface is a side surface and saidextending member is a longitudinally extending rib-like member and saidanother surface is a side surface and said groove is a longitudinallyextending groove component wherein each said member of one component isadapted to longitudinally slide and lockingly engage within a groove ofanother one of said components in order to join said componentstogether.
 2. The toy according to claim 1 wherein said one surface is anend surface and said extending member is an extending protrusion andsaid another surface is another end surface and said groove isdimensioned to lockingly engage said extending protrusion therein sothat two components can be lockingly connected end to end when saidprotrusion of one component is snapped into said recess of anothercomponent and disengaged when said protrusion is pulled out of saidrecess.
 3. The toy according to claim 1 wherein said at least onesurface includes a side surface having a longitudinally extendingrib-like member and a end surface having an extending protrusion memberand wherein said another surface includes a side surface having alongitudinally extending groove component and another end surface havinga groove therein wherein each said member of one component is adapted tolongitudinally slide and lockingly engage within a groove of another oneof said components in order to join said components together in a sideby side connection and said components can be lockingly connected end toend when said protrusion of one component is snapped into said groove insaid another end surface of another component and disengaged when saidprotrusion is pulled out of said recess of said another end surface. 4.A construction toy formed of connectable components, comprising: aplurality of connectable components each one of said connectablecomponents being formed of a foam material and having a longitudinallyextending groove on one side of said component and a longitudinallyextending rib-like member on another side of said component wherein eachsaid member of one component is adapted to longitudinally slide andlockingly engage within a groove of another one of said components inorder to join said components together.
 5. The construction toyaccording to claim 4 wherein said groove and said member are shapedcomplimentary with respect to each other so that said member engageswithin said groove.
 6. The construction toy according to claim 4 whereinsaid groove and member each substantially extend along the entirelongitudinal length of said component.
 7. The construction toy accordingto claim 4 wherein said groove and said member have complimentarygeometric shapes
 8. The construction toy according to claim 4 whereinsaid geometric shape is substantially a polygonal shape.
 9. Theconstruction toy according to claim 4 wherein said polygonal shape issubstantially circular.
 10. The constructional toy according to claim 9wherein said polygonal shape is substantially square
 11. Theconstruction toy according to claim 8 wherein said polygonal shape issubstantially triangular. 12 The construction toy according to claim 4wherein said connectable components are formed of a foam material. 13.The construction toy according to claim 12 wherein said foam material isformed of a low density polyethylene product.
 14. The construction toyaccording to claim 13 wherein said low density polyethylene product isextruded by a physical agent.
 15. The construction toy according toclaim 14 wherein said physical agent is a hydrocarbon gas.
 16. Theconstruction toy according to claim 4 wherein said plurality ofcomponents can be combined to construct different shapes and structuresby connecting member of one of said components into a groove another ofsaid components
 17. The construction toy according to claim 4 whereinsaid foam is made of a water floating material so that said componentscan be connected to form a raft which will float on water.